The effect of host lactation on a second infection of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis in rats

Extract

Rats were infected with 1000 larvae at the time of mating and they were given a second infection while suckling a new-born litter some 3½ weeks later. Although they did have significantly more worms than immune controls such rats were nevertheless highly resistant to challenge with infective larvae. However, when challenged with adult worms, immunized lactating rats were unable to eliminate the second infection.

That the failure of self-cure in this case was not because adult worms are less antigenic in lactating rats was shown in the third experiment. Lactating rats were immunized by infection either with adult worms only or with larvae allowed to complete their life-cycle. When subsequently challenged with infective larvae during the same lactation, both groups were equally resistant. It is therefore concluded that in lactating rats the gut phase of N. brasiliensis infection is in some way protected from the self-cure mechanism. This may be due either to absence of an essential factor operating late in the process, or to the presence of a potentiating factor which allows the worms to survive.

The author would like to thank Professor W. I. B. Beveridge in whose Department this work was carried out, and the Agricultural Research Council for their financial assistance. It is also a pleasure to acknowledge the technical assistance of Mr J. A. Wilson and Mr P. W. Holmes.